File on 4 Investigates Folgen

After an inevitable decline during the pandemic, school exclusions are again on the increase. There are concerns that behaviour is worse because, post pandemic, children can’t regulate their behaviour in the classroom. So what happens to those who are kicked out? The Government says it has issued updated guidance on suspensions and permanent exclusions and is clear that initial intervention should be put in place where children are at risk of being permanently excluded and entering alternative provision. It says permanent exclusions should always be a last resort and shouldn’t mean exclusion from education. But File on 4 hears compelling evidence from pupils, parents and teachers to suggest hundreds - maybe thousands - are falling under the radar, targeted by criminal gangs, forced to sell drugs and lured into a life of crime. Reporter: De-Graft Mensah Producers: Shona Elliott and Tom Wall Senior Digital Journalist: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Gareth Jones Editor: Carl Johnston